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Vancouver 2010

Favourite posts of 2010

I thought I’d go through my year, and see my favourite posts from 2010. This is not a list of my favourite concerts, albums, etc, but rather my favourite posts. Film I don’t know the difference between Iron Man and Iron Giant. The best review ever written. Scott Pilgrim review. Food POUTINE! My first brunch experience at the Old Nick… I now go there weekly… at least. Literature A personal tale about knowing an author, Stacey Fowles, and then reading her novel. I would then embarrass myself by not recognizing her in a future meeting. Reading about Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker. Music Questions about where the groove might actually be.… Read More »Favourite posts of 2010

Onward, Voyageur

I spent five days in Vancouver in July 2010, and picked up a handful of records, this is one of the many. “Quicksand filled heart” are the opening lyrics to Onward, Voyageur’s self-titled debut record. If that was all I based the record on, I surely wouldn’t have bought it, but the fun pop music with a slight tinge of country makes it worthwhile. If they were a Toronto band, I’m certain they would be playing Rancho Relaxo monthly. They remind me somewhat of what The Cheap Speakers would be if they were fronted by a woman and with a bit less punch. Maybe it’s that Christine Choquette has a… Read More »Onward, Voyageur

Every Day And All At Once

I spent five days in Vancouver in July 2010, and picked up a handful of records, this is one of the many. Jasper Sloan Yip’s debut record1 Every Day And All At Once is is foray into sugar-laced pop folk music. It starts off with the bouncy and fun “Kiddo” which sets a perfect tone for the entire record. With a nice mix of guitar and banjo, ukulele and violin, drums, bass and keyboard, Yip’s creates a nice playful sound that where all the instruments balance off one another without overpowering the others. Yip’s style reminds me of a gentle Elvis Costello, and perhaps for a local Toronto appeal, a bit… Read More »Every Day And All At Once

Vancouver 2010

It’s Thursday morning, and I’m most likely asleep in recovery, reluctant to leave my bed. To most “Vancouver 2010” is a representation of the 2010 Winter Olympics which were held in the beautiful city of Vancouver, British Columbia. To me, it represents Five Days In July in which I took in so much of this west coast beauty. Much like most of my posts, I’m writing this well in advance. I’m actually writing it so far in advance, that I’m still in Vancouver. It’s Sunday night, and I’ll be popping on an airplane in the next few hours to head back home to Toronto. I thought I’d fill you in… Read More »Vancouver 2010

Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker

[The Liberals]1 bit the dust because they treated Parliament with contempt.2 BT Richardson’s Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker is a book which isn’t so much about the then-Prime Minister, but is more about Canada in 1962. I thought it was really ambitious to write a biography of a sitting Prime Minister, but I was mistaken, Richardson wasn’t talking about Diefenbaker’s childhood and early years, he was talking about Canada. Even in the few chapters that did discuss Diefenbaker was more interested in painting the picture of a family living in rural Ontario3 and moving out to Saskatchewan to start a new life with free land and the great opportunities of this… Read More »Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker

Jasper Sloan Yip

I spent most of today wandering around Vancouver with my sister, or my sister-in-law, maybe my ex-sister-in-law, my Kelly. We had fun, as it had been a long time since I last saw her. We visited Gas Town, China Town1, Red Cat Records, was joined by Bryan2 for nachos3, and then finally we headed over to Granville Island4 to see a handful of bands, mostly Jasper Sloan Yip. It was about a month or so ago when I first heard of Mr. Yip’s songs. I really liked the two or three I had come across and wanted to hear more. The next day at work, one of my coworkers asked… Read More »Jasper Sloan Yip

The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman

Judging by the time, I’m going to guess that I’m somewhere over Saskatchewan12, and so far I’ve read more than half of Sarah Silverman’s debut book The Bedwetter. Last night3, I took a walk along the Danforth in Toronto to visit the bank, and on my way back, I popped into Book City. I had two books to take with me on my trip, and though my trip is only five days, I tend to pound through the reading while on vacation, and if I’m going to attempt to visit a beach, I’ll need to find a way to not get bored, because beaches are boring. So here, I sit,… Read More »The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee by Sarah Silverman

Linky Link

Above, NPR inverview Stephin Merritt & Claudia Gonson. Carrie Brownstein, will you marry me? Okay, we’ve never met, and it would be slightly awkward that my best friend has the same first name as me, and his wife has the same first name as you, but does that really matter? Your love of The Magnetic Fields is enough for me. Oh, and while we’re on the topic, your amazingness as part of Sleater-Kinney doesn’t hurt. With a Gold in hand for Canada, 3000km away in the country’s largest city (and my city), the CN Tower goes gold. Mechanical Forest Sound posts a new Gentleman Reg song. Thanks Joe! Apparently Canadians… Read More »Linky Link